The Angels are wrapping one other misplaced season, one through which Mike Trout was stored to a career-low 29 video games. As he gears up for the offseason, the three-time MVP indicated he was open to a doable place change in an effort to remain wholesome.
Trout hasn’t performed a single inning exterior of heart discipline in additional than a decade. It’s doable that’ll change in his age-33 season. Trout instructed the Halos beat this night that he’s keen to debate enjoying extra regularly within the corners and/or getting elevated reps as a delegated hitter.
“I believe there’s positively going to be some conversations within the offseason. It’s actuality,” Trout mentioned (hyperlink through Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). “I do know I’ve a certain quantity of years on my deal and I knew once I signed my contract, I’d finally transfer to a nook. However is it subsequent 12 months? I don’t know. However we’ll have conversations.”
The 11-time All-Star elaborated that “every thing’s on the desk” to try to maintain himself on the sector. “Whether or not that’s shifting to a nook or DHing extra, I’ll go away it as much as the entrance workplace to provide you with a plan,” he added. It doesn’t sound as if the longer term Corridor of Famer has but had any conversations with GM Perry Minasian and his workers, however that might be a key storyline going into the offseason.
Trout nonetheless has the athleticism to play heart discipline when he’s at full energy. He had respectable defensive grades over 681 innings final season. Statcast positioned him within the ninetieth percentile amongst main leaguers in dash velocity this 12 months. If he have been to maneuver to a nook, he ought to be a defensive asset. Trout logged practically 900 innings within the corners early in his profession. It’s widespread for heart fielders to maneuver down the defensive spectrum as they get into their 30s — each to remain wholesome and to make method for youthful, rangier defenders up the center.
The well being caveat has been an all too acquainted one for Trout. He has fallen wanting 120 video games in every of the previous 4 years. That is the third of 4 seasons through which he gained’t attain 85 appearances. A proper calf pressure ended Trout’s 2021 season by the center of Could. He misplaced a while in ’22 because of again spasms. A left hamate fracture all however ended his season on July 4 final 12 months. (He made a quick return in August earlier than shortly shutting issues again down.)
This 12 months could have been probably the most irritating of all. Trout went on the injured checklist on the finish of April after struggling a meniscus tear in his left knee. He underwent surgical procedure that got here with an preliminary four-to-six week restoration interval. It wasn’t till shortly after the All-Star Break that he was capable of start a minor league rehab project. The Angels shortly halted that when Trout skilled renewed knee soreness. Testing revealed one other meniscus tear that required a second surgical procedure and formally ended his season.
Making issues worse, Trout hasn’t been capable of pinpoint precisely when he suffered the knee harm. It might have come whereas he was on protection or operating the bases. His 2021 calf pressure got here as a baserunner, whereas final 12 months’s hamate fracture was a fluke harm on a swing. These clearly wouldn’t have been prevented by a place change. Nonetheless, lowering his defensive workload might take a few of the general toll off his physique and hopefully preserve him within the batter’s field.
Trout stays a wonderful offensive participant, even when he has most likely taken a step again from his MVP kind. He hit .263/.367/.490 over 362 plate appearances final 12 months. Whereas a meager .194 common on balls in play left him with a .220 batting common and .325 on-base mark this season, he drilled 10 homers over simply 126 journeys to the plate. A heathy Trout clearly stays the most effective hitter on the group.
The Angels have left fielder Taylor Ward below arbitration management for an additional two seasons. Ward has had a quietly wonderful second half and could be the group’s second-best offensive participant. Proper discipline has been an enormous weak spot. The Angels have gotten a .208/.288/.371 exhibiting from that place. That largely falls on Jo Adell, who hasn’t made sufficient contact to come back near the huge expectations he generated as a prospect. Former first-round choose Jordyn Adams is getting a glance there with Adell on the injured checklist, however Adams had a mediocre season in Triple-A.
If the Angels resolve it’s finest for Trout to maneuver to proper discipline — or to left, with Ward kicking to proper — they’d want to seek out a solution up the center. That’s far simpler mentioned than completed. Mickey Moniak has a .264 on-base proportion in 401 plate appearances as Trout’s main substitute in heart. Kevin Pillar might be retiring at season’s finish. Barring a shock Cody Bellinger opt-out, the free agent class is headlined by Harrison Bader. The likes of Cedric Mullins, Jose Siri, Leody Taveras and Trent Grisham are potential offseason commerce candidates, however that’s largely as a result of none of them are coming off nice years.
Trout goes into the seventh season of the 12-year extension he signed again in 2019. He’s below contract for $35.45MM yearly by means of the 2030 marketing campaign. Trout, who has full no-trade rights, has beforehand shot down the thought of requesting a commerce on a number of events.
